Is <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection Associated with Sexual Promiscuity? A Cross-Sectional Study

We determined the association between <i>T. gondii</i> seropositivity and a history of sexual promiscuity. The study included 3933 people (mean age: 41.81 ± 14.31 years) who attended public health facilities. Face-to-face interviews were used to collect data. Enzyme immunoassays were use...

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Main Authors: Cosme Alvarado-Esquivel, Sergio Estrada-Martínez, Agar Ramos-Nevárez, Alma Rosa Pérez-Álamos, Isabel Beristain-Garcia, Ángel Osvaldo Alvarado-Félix, Sandra Margarita Cerrillo-Soto, Gustavo Alexis Alvarado-Félix, Carlos Alberto Guido-Arreola, Leandro Sáenz-Soto, Antonio Sifuentes-Álvarez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-10-01
Series:Pathogens
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/11/1393
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Summary:We determined the association between <i>T. gondii</i> seropositivity and a history of sexual promiscuity. The study included 3933 people (mean age: 41.81 ± 14.31 years) who attended public health facilities. Face-to-face interviews were used to collect data. Enzyme immunoassays were used to determine anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgG and IgM antibodies. Anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgG antibodies were found in 57 (18.1%) of 315 individuals with sexual promiscuity and in 374 (10.3%) of 3618 individuals without this practice (OR: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.41–2.60; <i>p</i> < 0.0001). High (>150 IU/mL) levels of anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgG antibodies were found in 29 (9.2%) of the 315 participants with sexual promiscuity and in 167 (4.6%) of the 3618 participants without this history (OR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.38–3.16; <i>p</i> = 0.0003). The association of sexual promiscuity with <i>T. gondii</i> seropositivity and serointensity was observed in men but not in women. Sexual promiscuity was associated with <i>T. gondii</i> seropositivity in all age groups studied (≤30 years, 31–50 years, and >50 years) and with <i>T. gondii</i> serointensity in two age groups (≤30 years, and >50 years). No difference in the frequencies of anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgM antibodies among the groups was found. Our findings indicate that <i>T. gondii</i> seropositivity and serointensity are associated with sexual promiscuity.
ISSN:2076-0817